36 Weeks!!

*36 weeks pregnant.
Annie making a sad face because she wanted her pic taken!*

Yesterday was another MFM appointment. The baby looks great! We had an estimated weight of 4 lbs. 12 oz. which is a gain of 19 ounces in 2 weeks! Praise the Lord!!! This brings our little Hess baby up to the 4th percentile (2 weeks ago it was in the 1st). Unfortunately, we didn't get to see our "nice" doctor because he is doing a long bike ride with his son and was riding with him yesterday afternoon. Our "mean" doctor was on his best behavior. He must have been scolded after I "told on him". This doctor said the gain looked good. When Trent and I mentioned that it was 19 ounces of growth, he was suddenly skeptical. He did some re-measuring of the baby's stomach and was coming up with 4 lbs. 6-8 oz. Regardless, of which measurement is more accurate, the baby had gained about a pound in two weeks, which is what they expect "normal" growing babies to do. I definitely felt that my prayers were being heard and answered, and was very thankful to hear about the babies good growth.

They are still recommending induction/Cesarean at 37 weeks. I have an appointment next Wednesday (37 weeks to the day) with May-Grant who will do the scheduling. We are anticipating either late next week or early the following to have the baby. The baby still has the umbilical cord around his/her neck, which is why I think the baby has not gotten to the head-down position yet. During my ultrasound yesterday this little one went from footlong, to bottom down, to completely sideways.

I am still praying and hopeful that the baby will be able to get to the head-down position before next week. However, I do feel much more at peace about the possibility of a c-section. As I thought through my fears last night I was thinking that my reasons for not wanting to have a c-section were very selfish. I am anxious about the recovery, about the procedure itself, about what this can mean for future child-bearing, and also about the anesthesia. A friend of mine had sent me an encouraging devotion about our fears. After I read through it again last night it really hit me how selfish I was being. I know with my head that God will take care of me through all of my fears, but I was having trouble truly trusting and resting in this belief. I know that he is able to turn the baby if that is in His plans. It reminded me of the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They knew God could save them from the fiery furnace, but even if he didn't they still believed that He was God. The devotion said something along the lines of this: that most of our worst fears will not come true, but sometimes bad things do and will happen, but through them all God will take care of us. I'm so thankful that we serve a wonderful, forgiving God. So although it is still my prayer that the baby will turn head-down, I am now at peace that whatever may happen, God will see me through this delivery and we will all (Trent, Annie, Abbey, Baby, and I) will be okay!

Thanks again for all the love, support, and prayers. God is listening. God is good. ALL the time!!